The Cughtagh and the Dreaming Queen paused, both startled by the loud, brash man with iron mask who had appeared, followed closely by the winged being known as Raelis. 

The obscenities fell on deaf ears, however, as Shin entered the gateway with open arms. [color=a187be]"Yes! Welcome me, Skallagrim! I don't know who you are, but I relish in the opportunity to kill as many people as you throw at me!"[/color]

That all too familiar burning hot excitement washed over him as he passed through the gateway, his singular eye shut tightly as sweat beaded on his face. [color=a187be]"Give me everything, so that I may take everything away!"[/color]

[color=fff79a]"What is this place,"[/color] asked the knight to Skallagrim, the glow from his form far fiercer than any natural light shed in or around the space. It was almost as if the light had physical form...or perhaps as if Raelis was its form made physical. A form which could not wholly contain it.

The Dreaming Queen, turned towards the still seated Skallagrim, a thrum echoed through the entirety of the Nexus. A constant static white noise filled the air as both spoke rapidly to one another. Finally, both fell silent for a moment, before the Dreaming Queen simply vanished. 

Turning towards the masked man who expressed a desire to slay all, Skallagrim murmured, [color=8493ca]“You shall have your chance. Defeat your opponents and your desires shall be rewarded.”[/color]

As he finished, Skallagrim stood up, amethyst energies blazed brightly around his form. Whorls of light rising as mist from his eye sockets. [color=8493ca]“This place Asaran is the Nexus of Worlds. This place is everywhere and nowhere at once. Future and the past, every tangent of existence are found through the various entrances and egresses found within these walls. Does that answer your question?”[/color]

Turning to the others, he stared for a moment before seating himself again. Another minute passed before he spoke, [color=8493ca]“Metzalaatla Akalikala. You are to fight here, now because . . . We believe that you seek to restore your world. Your world is at the mercies of the Lord of Nightmares. Understand that while your world dies, it is not dead. The Lord of Nightmares has not touched your world yet. There are those amongst this crowd that may be swayed to release Ghoukas, to succumb to his malevolence. To save your world, to save your people you must win.”[/color]

Skallagrim fell silent as shimmering screens appeared showing a cornucopia of battlegrounds, each one holding advantages for those able to discern them. As the fields shifted, dozens of beings hurried fulfilling their duties in order to please the contestants and observers.